A Cup of Coffee and a Heart-to-Heart

Have you ever had a really good talk with a friend? I mean one of those types of conversations that begins over a good cup of coffee and next thing you know, everything around you has faded and it’s just you two. The exchange begins with “It’s been so long…we have so much to catch up on!” Next thing you know, you both are taking turns between laughing and crying as you pour out your hearts, your once piping hot coffee now forgotten and turned room temperature cold. Then, in a split second something brings you back into reality and you frantically search for your phone or a clock nearby to find out what time it is and realize, with shock, just how completely and utterly absorbed you were! I  have had this experience and it’s truly the best…aside from the cold coffee. I wanted to have one of those kinds of conversations with you…coffee and all because it’s been too long. I know that I am the only one to blame and for that I apologize. 

If you will allow me, I want to just be real and open with you during these next few moments that we are sharing together. 

I’ve been struggling with some things. Life has been so busy, and I can oftentimes forget to slow down and savor moments. I become anxious about things out of my control, discouraged throughout the unknowns, and repetitive disappointments have left me feeling afraid to hope. There’s a verse in Proverbs that begins by saying, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick…” and there have been times, very recently, where that would be the only way I could think to describe how I was feeling. But, I also realized that, while there were causes to feel discouraged or disheartened, there were moments in the midst of it all to be grateful for; glimpses of joy and reasons to hope. 

One of the things that I am learning more and more is the importance and benefit of being present. Not focusing on the “should have, could have or would have been” but learning to trust, ultimately, in the plan that my Creator has laid out for me and rest in the knowledge that He has my good in mind, even if some, or many things, don’t look or turn out the way I imagined that they would. 

This thought came to my mind earlier this year after a brief stay with one of my brothers and his family in Ohio. His oldest daughter, in particular, is full of life and wants to get the most out of every second we’re together. I often find myself wishing for an extra boost of energy to keep up with her zest for pursuing everything at full speed. Much to her disappointment sometimes, this aunt runs out of steam before her long list of activities for us to do together is near completed. I love her for it. Her exuberance is unmatched and if she had it her way, we’d conquer the world together…if only there was enough time. The only downside to having such grand plans and expectations is, if they don’t get met, my darling niece becomes sad and sometimes distraught. From her perspective, all she is able to see is what we couldn’t do together. Gone in her mind are all the fun memories we just made and instead, they’re replaced with the disappointment of all the wonderful things that never got to be checked of the list. As she wrapped her arms around me, vocally bemoaning the fact that we didn’t do enough together, therefore the whole visit was ruined, I tried to comfort her. I remember gently trying to encourage her, telling her to think of all the good things we did and not dwell on what we didn’t do. It was in that moment that I realized, in some ways, I was not much unlike my niece. It pricked my heart as we drove away. I felt conviction in my heart for this was how I was acting with God. I was struggling in my heart to be content and grateful for what was before me because some of the things that I had on my life’s agenda haven’t been going according to plan. The “heart sickness” caused by the unpredictability of life and events that left me confused and hurting, was overshadowing the little flickers of light shining through all around me. I realized that while the world itself may not offer hope in its broken state of sin, there is always hope in the Lord. That is one thing that I can be confident and sure of. 

So, I was given a choice. Was I going to despair over things out of my control, however disappointing, or would I instead focus on finding those little glimmers of joy to focus on? In all honesty, it’s been a little of both, but I am trying. Trying to trust. Trying to find renewed hope in the Lord. Trying to slow down and just relax on the things that are out of my hands. And just breathe. 

When life’s hiccups cause a change in plans, and I’m thrown for a loop, I want to do what my sweet niece does and complain to the Lord as if I know best…which I do, right? Wrong. Instead, I can be finding joy in what was and move forward, with a hopeful spirit that the future will also be full of moments of excitement and reasons to smile and that the Lord must have a better plan in mind. 

Let’s not ruin the here and now always thinking that the best is around the corner. Find hope in the moment…in the little things. Circumstances may not be great or even halfway decent, I know that well, but we can search for the good in spite of it. We can have hope amidst the turmoil's and uncertainty of life because it isn’t built on the rocky foundation of this world but in Christ, the firm foundation. 

Rest in this, my friend: God has you and there is always hope. Even in something as simple as the sunrise…the promise of another day. That's what I am holding on to.

Thank you for joining me today and I hope that your coffee didn’t get too cold. 😉 

Let’s do this again soon! 😊